President John Dramani Mahama has directed all district assemblies to reject building plans that do not include adequate sanitation facilities, as part of a renewed national effort to combat open defecation.
The directive, announced during the launch of Ghana’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Voluntary National Report, targets one of the country’s most persistent public health challenges.
“It is unacceptable that in 2025, open defecation persists in parts of Ghana,” President Mahama stated, calling the issue one of dignity, equity, and public health.
He criticized the ongoing neglect of sanitation requirements in construction and questioned the lack of enforcement of existing by-laws mandating toilets and sanitation infrastructure.
The President’s directive aims to tackle systemic failures in investment, enforcement, and community engagement, which continue to undermine Ghana’s sanitation targets under the SDGs.
“No one should be allowed to build without sanitation facilities,” he added, urging local assemblies to strictly enforce building regulations and hold developers accountable.
By insisting on sanitation facilities in all new developments, the government hopes to restore public dignity, protect environmental health, and accelerate progress toward nationwide sanitation access.
